Intermetallic bonded diamond (ibd) cutting elements

ABSTRACT

A cutting element may include a substrate having a bonding interface region, and an intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) element bonded to the bonding interface region of the substrate. In some embodiments, the bonding interface region of the substrate may have a non-axi-symmetrical shape and/or may be symmetrical about only one plane or about zero planes. In some embodiments, the bonding interface region of the substrate may have a shape of a tube, a beveled tube, a tube with one or more internal support structures, a scoop, a plow, a concave shape, a honeycombed shape, or other irregular or complex shape.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/883,884, entitled “Intermetallic BondedDiamond (IBD) Cutting Elements,” filed Jan. 8, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to cutting elements, and moreparticularly, to intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) cutting elementshaving various shapes and configurations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) cutters have become the industrystandard for oil and gas drilling, especially in soft, medium soft andmedium formation types, IADC codes 1,4,5, and 6 type rock. Since theearly days of PDC cutter and drill bit development commencing in the mid1970's cutter makers and bit designers have proposed complex cuttershapes that could preferentially shear adjacent portions of a targetformation and/or guide movement of cuttings or sheared formationmaterials in a way that would enhance bit cleaning.

Examples of such shapes can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,659 and U.S.Pat. No. 4,538,690 to Short, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,777 and U.S.Pat. No. 4,558,753 to Barr. These patents discuss diamond layerconfigurations of a curved, concave geometry for PDC cutters.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,726 to Hall describes a curved PDC drag element witha complex plowing configuration.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,132 to Tibbitts discloses conventional “flat faced”PDC cutters in conjunction with a body design that carries large voidareas in the bit blades. The concept was to allow for reverse jetting ofshale cuttings through the blade.

As a commercial reality, none of the more radical or complex cutterdesigns have found success primarily due to the difficulties attendantin actually manufacturing such cutters in high pressure diamond presses.If a cutter design could be manufactured but left high residual stressesin the PDC layer or in the tungsten carbide (WC) substrate, then thecutter would lack fracture toughness in field applications.

For a brief period in the 1990's it was thought that Carbon VaporDeposition (CVD) Diamond would overcome the difficulties with complexgeometry attendant to PDC. However, it was found that the application ofa thick and truly wear resistant layer associated with CVD is extremelytime intensive and costly.

A more recent development, Intermetallic Bonded Diamond (IBD), isdiscussed in US Patent Application Publication 2006/0280638 published onDec. 14, 2006 and International Publication Number WO 2006/107628published by WIPO on Oct. 12, 2006.

Both of these patent applications are incorporated by reference for allpurposes. There are examples in the prior art literature of speciallyconfigured PDC blades being deployed in the very center of Fixed Cutterbits to improve the drilling characteristics of this slow surface speedarea of the bit face.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In accordance with teachings of the present disclosure, a cuttingelement may include a substrate having a bonding interface region and anintermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) element bonded to the bondinginterface region of the substrate. In some embodiments, the bondinginterface region of the substrate may have a non-axi-symmetrical shapeand/or may be symmetrical about only one plane or about zero planes. Insome embodiments, the bonding interface region of the substrate may havea shape of a tube, a beveled tube, a tube with one or more internalsupport structures, a scoop, a plow, a concave shape, a honeycombedshape, or other irregular or complex shape.

One aspect of the present disclosure may include forming cuttingelements and/or inserts for fixed cutter drill bit with configurationsthat were previously difficult and sometimes not even possible tomanufacture. One of the benefits of the present disclosure may includeforming cutting elements with such configurations and the ability tosurvive repeated impact loads associated with drilling deep, highpressure and/or high temperature wellbores.

Forming cutting elements or inserts with an axial bore extending througheach cutting element or insert may allow enhanced penetration of anadjacent formation and enhanced removal of formation materials from thebottom of a wellbore. Forming an axial bore in a cutting element orinsert in accordance with teachings of the present disclosure may allowimproved cooling of the cutting element or insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete and thorough understanding of the present embodimentsand advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference numbers indicate like features.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate example tubular tungsten carbide substratesfor an IBD cutter.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate an example tubular tungsten carbide IBD cuttingelement coupled to a blade of a cutting tool, according to oneembodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example beveled tubular tungsten carbideIBD cutting element coupled to a blade of a cutting tool, according toone embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an example plow shaped IBD cutting elementcoupled to the substrate, according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an example IBD cutting element for use on aHedge Hog type impregnated bit layout, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The terms “cutting element” and “cutting elements” may be used in thisapplication to include various types of compacts, inserts, milled teethand welded compacts satisfactory for use with roller cone drill bits.

The recent development of Intermetallic Bonded Diamond (IBD) allowsdrill bit cutters and drill bits to be designed outside of the previousconstraints.

The present disclosure embodies cutting elements that take advantage ofthe IBD technology to produce practical, enabled, and useful wearresistant cutters of non-symmetrical, irregular, or relatively complexgeometry for drill bits and down hole tools such as coring equipment andreamers, for example.

In some embodiments, a cutting element may include a substrate having abonding interface region, and an intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD)element bonded to the bonding interface region of the substrate. Thebonding interface region may comprise the entire substrate or a portionof the substrate. The substrate may be formed from tungsten carbide,steel, or any other suitable material(s). The IBD element may be bondedto the bonding interface region of the substrate by hot isostaticpressing (HIP), or in any other suitable manner.

As discussed above, an IBD cutter may be formed having anon-symmetrical, irregular, or relatively complex geometry. In someembodiments, the bonding interface region of the substrate has anon-axi-symmetrical shape. In some embodiments, the bonding interfaceregion may be symmetrical about only one plane, or not symmetrical aboutany plane.

The bonding interface region of the substrate may include a holeextending partially or completely through the substrate. In someembodiments, the bonding interface region of the substrate may have theshape of a tube (see, e.g., FIGS. 1 and 2), a beveled tube (see, e.g.,FIG. 3), a tube with one or more internal support structures, a scoop, aplow (see, e.g., FIG. 4), a concave shape, a honeycombed shape, or anyother suitable shape. In a particular embodiment, the bonding interfaceregion of the substrate has a plow shape with an included angle of lessthan or equal to about 100 degrees.

IBD when coupled with tubular, scoop shaped, plow shaped, concave,honeycomb, or other irregular or relatively complex-shaped substrates(e.g., as discussed above) may allow the bit designer unprecedentedfreedom in cuttings management, cutter cooling, and/or abrasivesevacuation leading to enhanced drill bit performance. Bits can bedesigned that replace traditional PDC cutters with IBD cutters of a moreefficient geometry.

IBD cutters may also allow the bit designer to employ mixes or patternsof IBD cutters with traditional PDC cutters or with traditional tungstencarbide inserts to achieve positive effects for specific rock types.Some of these effects may include, e.g., kerfing, impact management andmitigation, cutting force management, secondary cutting, enhanced gageprotection, and/or bi-modal deployments for transitional drilling.

In addition, IBD cutters may be deployed for hard rock drilling, IADCrock codes 3,7, and 8 by configuring the IBD cutters to replacetraditional impregnated segments, impregnated posts, or impregnateddiscs. IBD cutters may also be used in conjunction with thesetraditional impregnated diamond cutting elements to achieve synergisticeffects, e.g., kerfing, secondary cutting, impact management, and/ortransitional drilling benefits.

Some fixed cutter drill bits may be manufactured with a bit body (notexpressly shown) having one end operable for attachment to a drillstring. The drill string may apply weight to the drill bit, sometimesreferred to as “weight on bit” or WOB. The drill string may also rotatethe drill bit (revolutions per minute or RPM) relative to a bitrotational axis extending through the bit body. The drill string mayalso supply drilling fluid to a cavity formed within the bit body.

A plurality of blades may be disposed on and extend from the bit body.Exterior portions of the blades and associated cutters may form a bitface profile. For some applications the blades may cooperate with eachother to form a bit face profile having an inverted, generally coneshaped configuration opposite from the one end of the bit body.

For such applications, one or more tungsten carbide substrates maybeformed with one or more layers of IBD disposed thereon. Each substratemay include a respective post sized to be received within a respectiveopening formed in the bit body proximate the inverted cone shapedportion of the bit face profile. For some embodiments, an opening may beformed in the bit body proximate the bit rotational axis. For suchembodiments, one or more tungsten carbide (WC) blades or plates coveredwith IBD may be held in place by brazing the posts into respective holesformed proximate the bit rotational axis. Such blades or plates may makethe layout and manufacturing of the drill bit center more efficient thancurrent practice even with standard cylindrical PDC cutters.

IBD cutters may offer an attractive, cost effective replacement for domePDC for use in roller cone bit primary cutting structures, gage rowcutting structures, in shirttail protection, and/or in various otherstructures or applications.

IBD materials may be directly brazed to steel. Thus, cylinders madeentirely of IBD can be used as direct replacements in steel body ormatrix PDC bit designs without the need for a WC substrate. Such aconfiguration may dramatically increase the total deployed diamond caratweight for a given bit configuration compared to using conventional PDC.It may also allow for fewer blades on a bit for a given carat weight toincrease drill bit penetration rate for a given weight on bit. Inaddition, IBD may carry diamond up to 700 microns in size. The coarsestgrain size diamond typically used in PDC cutters is about 60 microns.Larger size diamonds generally allow for more aggressive angular cuttingedges. This attribute may aid in extending typical applications for IBDdrill bits to harder rock even when the cutters are deployed inconfigurations similar to current PDC type drill bit products.

Another advantage of IBD cutters according to the present disclosure isthe fact that IBD cutters may not suffer from the deleterious effectsusually resulting from the frictional contact of diamond or PDC withferrous materials. Technical reports made by Southern IllinoisUniversity indicate that an IBD sample was run against a cast irontarget for 9 hours with minimum wear or damage to the IBD. Thus, theprinciples of the present disclosure may be used to improve the designand implementation of casing milling, casing window, and drill-out bits.It may also make possible the deployment of a combination mill out anddrill ahead bit that does not suffer undue amounts of wear and shortservice life due to the typical damage incurred through ferrous contactduring the window milling operation.

Preferred embodiments of the invention may be better understood byreference to FIGS. 1A-5E.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate example tubular tungsten carbide substratesfor an IBD cutter.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate an example tungsten carbide tubular IBD cuttingelement coupled to a blade of a cutting tool, according to oneembodiment. In particular, FIG. 2A is a side cross-sectional viewillustrating a tubular tungsten carbide (WC) substrate coupled to asteel blade. An IBD element is bonded (e.g., by hot isostatic pressing)to an interface region of the substrate. FIG. 2B illustrates a partialthree-dimensional view of the tubular cutting element and steel blade.FIG. 2C illustrates an end view of an alternative embodiment in which asupport structure is positioned within the tubular cutting element,e.g., to provide structural support to the cutting element. One or moresuch structural supports having any suitable configuration may beincluded to provide additional structural support to the cuttingelement.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example beveled tubular tungsten carbideIBD cutting element coupled to a blade of a cutting tool, according toone embodiment. In particular, FIG. 3A is a side cross-sectional viewillustrating a beveled tubular tungsten carbide (WC) substrate coupledto a steel blade. An IBD element is bonded (e.g., by hot isostaticpressing) to an interface region of the substrate. FIG. 3B illustrates apartial three-dimensional view of the beveled tubular cutting elementand steel blade. In other embodiments, one or more structural supportsmay be included to provide additional structural support to the cuttingelement, e.g., as discussed above regarding FIG. 2C.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an example plow shaped IBD cutting elementcoupled, according to one embodiment. In particular, FIG. 4A is across-sectional view illustrating a plow shaped substrate having an IBDelement bonded to an interface region of the substrate. FIG. 4Billustrates a three-dimensional view of the plow shaped cutting element.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an example IBD cutting element for use on aHedge Hog type impregnated bit layout, according to one embodiment. Inparticular, FIG. 5A is a side view illustrating a substrate (e.g.,tungsten carbide or steel post) having an IBD element bonded to aninterface region of the substrate, and FIG. 5B is an end view of thecutting element.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalternations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

1. A cutting element, comprising: a substrate having a bonding interfaceregion; and an intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) element bonded to thebonding interface region of the substrate.
 2. A cutting elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed from tungstencarbide.
 3. A cutting element according to claim 1, wherein thesubstrate is formed from steel.
 4. A cutting element according to claim1, wherein the IBD element is bonded to the bonding interface region ofthe substrate by hot isostatic pressing (HIP).
 5. A cutting elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the bonding interface region of thesubstrate has a non-axi-symmetrical shape.
 6. A cutting elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the bonding interface region of thesubstrate has a shape that is symmetrical about only one plane.
 7. Acutting element according to claim 1, wherein the bonding interfaceregion of the substrate has a shape that is not symmetrical about anyplane.
 8. A cutting element according to claim 1, wherein the bondinginterface region of the substrate includes a hole extending at leastpartially through the substrate.
 9. A cutting element according to claim1, wherein the bonding interface region of the substrate includes a holeextending completely through the substrate.
 10. A cutting elementaccording to claim 1, wherein the bonding interface region of thesubstrate has a shape of a tube, a beveled tube, a tube with one or moreinternal support structures, a scoop, a plow, a concave shape, or ahoneycombed shape.
 11. A cutting element according to claim 1, whereinthe bonding interface region of the substrate has a plow shape with anincluded angle of less than or equal to about 100 degrees.
 12. A cuttingelement according to claim 1, wherein the cutting element is configuredfor use in cutting ferrous materials.
 13. A fixed cutter drill bit,comprising: a bit body including one or more bit blades; and one or morecutting elements bonded to at least one of the bit blades, at least oneof the cutting elements including: a substrate having a bondinginterface region; and an intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) elementbonded to the bonding interface region of the substrate.
 14. A cuttingelement according to claim 13, wherein the bonding interface region ofthe substrate has a non-axi-symmetrical shape.
 15. A fixed cutter drillbit according to claim 13, wherein the bonding interface region of thesubstrate includes a hole extending at least partially through thesubstrate.
 16. A fixed cutter drill bit according to claim 13, whereinthe bonding interface region of the substrate has a shape of a tube, abeveled tube, a tube with one or more internal support structures, ascoop, a plow, a concave shape, or a honeycombed shape.
 17. An apparatusfor drilling an earthen formation, the apparatus comprising: a supportstructure; and one or more cutting elements coupled to the supportstructure, each cutting element including: a substrate having a bondinginterface region; and an intermetallic bonded diamond (IBD) elementbonded to the bonding interface region of the substrate.
 18. Anapparatus according to claim 17, wherein the cutting elements are brazedinto the support structure.
 19. An apparatus according to claim 17,wherein the bonding interface region of the substrate has anon-axi-symmetrical shape.
 20. An apparatus according to claim 17,wherein the bonding interface region of the substrate includes a holeextending at least partially through the substrate.
 21. An apparatusaccording to claim 17, wherein the bonding interface region of thesubstrate has a shape of a tube, a beveled tube, a tube with one or moreinternal support structures, a scoop, a plow, a concave shape, or ahoneycombed shape.